Chapter 13

Rudolf's POV
The night went by quickly, with laughter and light conversation. We shared some pretty intimate moments—and as it all happened, I felt like there was more to it than just a transaction. There was a warmth and closeness that grew—all of which brought new colors to my life, which was usually filled with the hustle and bustle of work.
Ultimately, after all that had happened, I knew that the moment had meant something. What had started as a way to take my mind off things had grown into something deeper and more complex. And as we ended the night, I realized that I couldn’t just go back to the monotony of my life after meeting Mikayla.
Her presence had given me a renewed sense of purpose to live my life differently—maybe even allow myself to feel love and closeness again without the burden weighing me down. Mikayla had opened a new door for me, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t just close it.
My girlfriend, Hannah, had come to work unannounced and barged into my office without asking for permission.
Honestly, I’d been feeling tired and fed up with her behavior for a while now. She always had an excuse to ask for money, and every time, I felt like I was being pulled into a never-ending loop.
“Hey, honey. I need some money for groceries,” she said in a coy, hopeful tone.
I took a deep breath, trying to contain the frustration that was building in my chest. “No, Hannah. I can’t give you any more money.”
Her face changed instantly. She looked angry, and I knew this reaction was expected. “Why? Do you not care about me anymore? This is all for the necessities—”
“I understand the necessities, but this is too much. You know I’ve given you a lot of money before,” I interrupted, trying to be firm. “I can’t keep giving without limits.”
Hannah pursed her lips, angry and disappointed at the same time. “You’ve changed! You used to be okay with helping me. Are you tired of it and want to leave me?” she threw a hurtful accusation.
Confusion and anger began to mix inside me. Did she really think I wanted to leave her just because I refused to give her money? “It’s not about that. I just want to see that we can manage our finances well. Keeping asking for money won’t solve our problems!” I said, but it only made things worse.
“I can’t believe this! You’re selfish! I just want to feel comfortable, and you’re getting in my way! I’ll never be satisfied if you keep refusing…” her angry words flowed non-stop.
At that moment, I felt the burden on my shoulders getting heavier. Hannah was taking up so much of my energy and attention, and I felt trapped in an unhealthy relationship. The root of our problems wasn’t just about money, it was deeper than that.
“I can’t be the one holding this relationship together,” I finally said, my voice calm but firm. “We need to talk about what’s really going on between us, without money being involved.”
Hannah paused for a moment, her face shifting between anger and confusion. “What do you mean? Do you want to end this?” she asked, her voice wavering between concern and defensiveness.
I took a deep breath, trying to form my words carefully. “Hannah, that’s not what I meant. But we need to be honest with each other. It’s not healthy to be stuck in a relationship all about money. I feel like I’m doing everything I can to get my needs met, but I’m not getting the same from you.”
She frowned, not fully understanding what I was saying. “But I love you! How can you think that I don’t value this relationship? Of course, I need money, but only for the things that matter,” she replied, her voice high-pitched.
“And I understand that, but right now, I feel like our needs are at odds. Your anger when I refuse to give you money is making me feel stressed. This isn’t just about my finances, it’s about how we interact and support each other,” I said, trying to stay calm.
“So what’s the solution? Are you going to ignore me? Are you tired of this?” she threw all the hurt into her eyes. Tears were threatening to fall, and I could see how she was struggling.
“It’s not ignoring you, Hannah. It’s just that we need to talk about how we can support each other without being financially dependent. Set healthier goals in this relationship. We need to focus on spending and also respecting each other,” I said, trying to show that this wasn’t supposed to be a breakup but rather an opportunity to make things better.
She took a deep breath, wiping away the tears that were beginning to fall. “I don’t know what to do. I know I did it wrong, but I don’t want to lose you,” she said, her voice full of regret.
“I don’t want to lose you either, but we need to change to make this relationship healthier. Let’s make a deal about how we manage our money and build trust with each other,” I said, hoping to offer a new perspective on our relationship.
There was a moment of silence that felt heavy. In the face of all this, I hoped that Hannah would see my good intentions and work together to improve our relationship, rather than just get stuck in the same old loop. This was the moment we could choose to build a better future or stay stuck in the same cycle.
My eyes never left her face. I wanted to be honest, but somewhere in my heart, there was still a little hope that maybe we could fix things. With everything that had happened, I knew it was time to make a decision, both for myself and for our relationship.
“I need money to buy a bag. My friends already have one and I want one too,” Hannah said in a whiny tone, sounding like a child having a tantrum. Honestly, I had tried to explain to her the importance of managing money wisely, but it all felt pointless.
“I’m sorry, Hannah, I can’t,” I said firmly, trying to stand my ground even as frustration began to creep up on me.